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Moscow states absence of meaningful progress in Russia-NATO contacts

Russia maintained an independent foreign policy course in 2017, promulgated a unifying agenda and offered constructive options for the solution of international conflicts, the Foreign Ministry says

© EPA/MAURIZIO GAMBARINI

MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. Contacts between Russia and NATO did not see any fruitful development in 2017 because of NATO’s confrontational stance towards Moscow, says a review of the Russian foreign policy results in 2017 that the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Russia maintained an independent foreign policy course in 2017, promulgated a unifying agenda and offered constructive options for the solution of international problems and conflicts.

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"The contacts with the North-Atlantic alliance that is conducting a confrontational policy line towards Russia had no chance for constructive development," the document said. "As regards the relations with the EU, reactivation of political dialogue at the top and high levels and cooperation in sectors of the economy became a positive result."

The review also emphasized a strong impulse in Moscow’s relations with countries in the Middle East and particularly with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

"A statement the Foreign Ministry issued on April 7 reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state with the capital in East Jerusalem and the simultaneous recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital in Israel in this case," the document said.

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